Sock or stocking and art of making the same



(No Model.)

JQSHELTON.

800K 0R STOCKING AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME.

No. 264,349. Patented Sept. 12, 1882.

mm dl A/b m j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES SHELTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

S OCK- OR STOCKING AND ART OF MAKING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,349, dated September 12, 1882.

Application filed January 27, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SHELTON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Socks or Stockings and in the Art of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a sock or stocking with a top resembling in appearance and character the usual top of ribbed fabric, but made upon the same machine as the rest of the stocking, and without removing the fabric from the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View of part of the leg of a sock or stocking with an imitation ribbed top, made in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2, a diagram illustrating the method of making the top.

Ordinarily in making the cheaper class of socks and stockings it is usual to unite to the fabric forming the leg A an elastic top, B, made of ribbed fabric, the two being united by sewing. This plan is objectionable on account of the labor involved and because of the bulky and uncomfortable seam formed where the two fabrics are united. Attempts have been made to produce an imitation ribbed top by knitting the fabric .A plain up to the line 00 and then throwing out of action one needle in everyfour or five, so as to produce vertical breaks in the fabric at intervals; but such a top possesses no more elasticity than the leg of the sock or stocking, and is practically a defect, being sim-. ply resorted to in order to impart an appearance resembling that of a ribbed top.

In carrying out my invention I knit the leg of the sock or stocking plain, as usual, up to the line a: 00. I then throw out of action every alternate needle, and before commencing to knit the top B, I change the yarn, substituting yarn of a heavier grade, so that said top B will consist of vertical rows of stitches which, owing to the difference in the yarn, present an appearance very different from that of the leg A, while, owing to the less number of rows'of stitches, the tube forming the top will be contracted in diameter, and will thus possess the characteristics of an ordinary ribbed top, the heavy yarn causing the top to present a full and closely-knitted appearance, and overcoming the skeleton efiect which would result if the yarn used in making the top was of the same size as that used in knitting the leg.

Although I have described the throwing out of action of every alternate needle, it is not absolutely necessary to adhere to this rule in every case, as the throwing out of one needleonly in every three may sometimes be considered advisable.

I claim as my invention- 1. The mode herein described of making an imitation ribbed top on a sock or stocking, said mode consisting in throwing alternate needles' out of action on the completion of the leg and then knitting the top on the remaining needles with heavier yarn than that employed in knitting the leg, as set forth.

2. A sock or stocking having an-imitation ribbed top made of heavier yarn and having a less number of vertical rows of stitches than the leg, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES SHELTON.

JVitnesses:

HARRY DRURY, HARRY SMITH. 

